Rock Island V.S. Taurus

??

  • Rock Island

    Votes: 76 72.4%

  • Taurus

    Votes: 22 21.0%

  • Same

    Votes: 7 6.7%
  • Total voters
    105
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You'll find a loyal contingency for both. Check the forum.m1911.org for specifics from users of both.

Lots of people despise Taurus for their customer service issues. Lots of people like Taurus for their price point. Their 1911 comes pretty well loaded with features. I've been told, but haven't personally confirmed, Taurus frames and slides are made in the same plant as Springfield's 1911s. Where the guts come from, IDK.

The Rock Island Tactical comes in about $100 less - from what I've seen, locally - and is as good of quality overall. Finish is a little blah, but I buy guns to shoot, not for a shaving mirror. Rock Island's customer service is top notch, on par with Springfield. If you have an issue, they will make it right, and do so promptly. Rock Islands are made in the Philippines.

I guess, in the end, it's what suits your fancy, strikes your sweet spot, and tickles the wallet that will make the choice for you. Personally, I would do the Rock Island. I own one and, so far, it's looking good as a future carry weapon. For me, $100 is a lot of components or ammo to shoot.

Q
 
I have a PT1911 and I've had very good luck with the pistol - very reliable and very accurate. The only complaint I have has to do with the straight-8 sights. The pistol is sighted to shoot point of aim with a dead-center hold. I'm used to a 6-o'clock hold. I've taken file to the rear sight male dovetail and cranked down on the set screw to raise it just a bit. I haven't had a chance to shoot it since doing this, but I think that is a good solution. Also, the Taurus dovetail is unique to the PT1911 so after-market sights take some fitting. Other than that, good 1911 for the price (I paid $499 in Dec '07 for it).

I've read good things about the low end Springfield and the RIA as well but I have no personal experience with them.
 
They are both probably good guns. I have read good and bad things about both of them. I have a Rock Island GI for about a month now that I am very pleased with. I agree with chingon that the RIA Tactical is a lot of gun for the money.
 
Customer service and price. RIA is suppose to have both. Taurus has a well deserved rep for not having good customer service.
 
I own a RIA doublestack 1911 & I like it. Decently accurate. Comparing the RIA ans Taurus, quality wise they're pretty much the same. If your trying to decide between the two go by price & which one you can get the better deal on as quality is just about identical.
 
I own a RIA doublestack 1911 & I like it. Decently accurate. Comparing the RIA ans Taurus, quality wise they're pretty much the same. If your trying to decide between the two go by price & which one you can get the better deal on as quality is just about identical.
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Except that if you have a problem with Taurus, their customer service will tell you to get fu(ked, whereas RIA will make it right.
 
RIA has a following second only to Glock owners and AR-15 owners. Taurus on the other hand has stopped being carried by two shops in my area because some of their products are prone to having the slide crack. Not sure if that includes their 1911 clone.
 
Both are cheap 1911 clones. Both are sub-par.

I've handled both, and was unimpressed by both. The Tarurs feels good and has all the cool dodads, but its fit is sloppy, the sights are totally wrong, and the internals were obviously made by the lowest bidder (early samples had too many breakages to be flukes). The RIA is loose with an early military style trigger pull (heavy and creepy). Cheap guns are for people who don't have the experience to appreciate quality.
It's not much more money to have the real thing in a Springfield or Kimber- guns you can trust and enjoy and that will never wear out. In the rare event that a part breaks, either of those decent manufacturers will take care of you too.
 
Both are sub-par.
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I believe you'll find that comment to be erroneous. Exactly what information are you basing that statement on? And what exactly is the established "par" for 1911? You should read up a little more on these two models. And the round counts that people are getting out of both of these guns are doing a lot to prove your "sub-par" statement to be untrue.

It's not much more money to have the real thing in a Springfield
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Taurus=Brazil Springfield=Brazil :rolleyes:
 
I'll refer folks to the last thousand round match for the definition of "par". I'd be careful bandying about the word "par". Nailing down a definition and classification of guns that are sub-par is a real eye opener.
 
I'm not going to vote as I have no experience with the Taurus PT 1911. I do have a RIA GI that I'm pleased with. The only issues I've had so far(only 300rds) were due to the cheap%*& Triple K mag. Waste o $15, that was.

At any rate, the fit on my RIA is pretty good. No, it's not super tight, but I'm ok with that. Trigger has a little bit of creep, but not too much and it's not heavy at all. Haven't done any serious accuracy testing yet, but I don't have a problem keeping it on an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper at 7, 15, or 25yds(unsupported). The group tends to be rather smaller than the paper, but I don't have one on hand to measure so I'd rather just say the paper than give wrong info.
I've only tried FMJ ammo in it so far, so not sure about feeding reliability for hollowpoints or SWC. I'd love to try some SWC ammo but I don't think I want to buy a whole box and find out it doesn't feed.
 
I'll refer folks to the last thousand round match for the definition of "par". I'd be careful bandying about the word "par". Nailing down a definition and classification of guns that are sub-par is a real eye opener.
Click to expand...

My point exactly! And the round counts that people have put through both the RIA and Taurus go a long way in proving these guns as major players in the 1911 market.

My next question has to be what makes a gun the "real thing"? How exactly do we go about measuring for that? :D
 
You've probably seen this before: http://www.advancedtactical.com/sweeneyarticle.pdf

but I think it says something about 1911s as a whole - even inexpensive ones.

While I would love to have a top-end Springfield, I cannot afford it. So, I have a solid mid-level Springfield (Loaded) and an inexpensive Rock Island Compact. I love 'em both, and hope I would never have to trade one or the other. But I can say with 100% certainty that my $400 RIA shoots as well as my $800 Springer. Which will last longer? Dunno, yet, but I suspect my son will be shooting both long after I'm gone (providing Uncle Sam doesn't spirit them away).

Q
 
Both are cheap 1911 clones. Both are sub-par.

I've handled both, and was unimpressed by both. The Tarurs feels good and has all the cool dodads, but its fit is sloppy, the sights are totally wrong, and the internals were obviously made by the lowest bidder (early samples had too many breakages to be flukes). The RIA is loose with an early military style trigger pull (heavy and creepy). Cheap guns are for people who don't have the experience to appreciate quality.
It's not much more money to have the real thing in a Springfield or Kimber- guns you can trust and enjoy and that will never wear out. In the rare event that a part breaks, either of those decent manufacturers will take care of you too.
Click to expand...

Hmm, Springfield gets its materials from Chinese and South American manufacturers, and Kimber doesn't sell a handgun for under $900 these days.

Cheap guns are for those of us who aren't fat cats or willing to blow nearly a grand on a HANDGUN. With the 1911 series, there are enough aftermarket manufacturers out there that if something breaks a replacement part is a order form away.
 
Both are cheap 1911 clones. Both are sub-par
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I call BS.
I've let multiple people shoot my Kimber TLE and RIA Tactical side by side. When asked which they liked better, pretty much a toss up, when told the price difference, the RIA looked a whole lot better!

I've over 13,000 rounds through my oldest RIA, once you spend 5X the cost of the gun on the ammo run through it, you stop worrying about the gun!

--wally.
 
This is my blued Taurus wearing a set of my afzelia burl grips.

P1010908.jpg

And this is my newest addition. It's the stainless version wearing some of my Brazilian tulipwood grips.

P1011194.gif

My personal choice is the Taurus. But they're both great guns. I went with the Taurus because I don't necessarily shoot thousands of rounds, but I wanted something that had the features of a more expensive gun. If you're not worried about features and want something to knock around with at the range, save a few dollars and go with the RIA.
 
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